Cool weather brought out record crowds on Saturday for the opening day of the 37th annual Germantown Festival in C.O. Franklin Park just off Poplar Pike.

Nearly 500 vendors spent the past month preparing for the weekend, with tents, tables and meticulously planned product placement layouts for the more than 400 arts and crafts booths scattered throughout the park.

"We tried to fill every open space we could," coordinator Melba Fristick said, describing her designs. "We're maxed out, certainly as big, or bigger, than last year."

Officials from the Germantown Police Department said they were prepared for as many as 60,000 people for the two-day event. But organizers and authorities predicted the good weather would help produce record crowds.

Doug Lamb, owner of Sis & D's Homemade Spoons, has been a vendor for several years and enjoys the opportunity to showcase his unique hand-carved kitchen utensils.

Lamb said his business, based out of Clarksdale Miss., relies on repeat customers like the ones he meets every year at the festival.

Germantown resident Deb Cameron is one of his faithful shoppers.

"I come every year with a list of items I want to get," she said. "You just can't beat quality like this, and that's the great thing about community fairs ..."

Put on by the Germantown Festival Association, a free-standing non-profit organization, the festival has a long history with its patrons.

Two longtime volunteers, Joe and Nancy Piacenti, have been coming to the festival for more than 20 years. Both former vendors, they volunteer with the event staff every year.

"It reminds us of our own stand," he said. "We made those little 'Add-A-Bead' necklaces back in 1982 -- we had no tent in 96 degree weather. It was just awful, but selling was a great experience."

Since then, the couple has taken their original project to new heights, evolving from the plastic beaded creations to more pricey gold and diamond pieces Nancy makes from their home.

Listening in, Fristick found a moment to laugh.

"That's what this is all about," she said. "We're in it for the vendors and making the overall experience as positive as it can be."

"Just look around -- everyone's carrying bags and still smiling. Even my grandkids are here. When you see your own family having a good time, you know you're doing something right."